Roads of Life

by PonyWrites

Chapter 16.5 - VCRs and Cars

After nearly a week of attempting to fix the VCR she dismantled, Scootaloo finally gave up and threw it out the clubhouse window. “Why doesn’t it work!” She yelled. Her friends mentally counted to five and she still hadn’t calmed down. “Scoots hun, sit down.” Sweetie said. She complied, arms crossed and looking at the TV she was using to test it like it had killed her pet gecko.

“I think you’re just going after the wrong rabbit.” Apple Bloom said. “You can take apart your skateboard and put it back together in like… thirty seconds.” The farmer’s face lit up as a metaphorical lightbulb went off. “I have an idea! Let’s go to the old barn.”

“The abandoned one? But we already banged there two days ago.”

“No the other old one. You’ll see, just come on.”

Apple Bloom led Scootaloo and Sweetie to a barn in worse shape than the “old barn,” peeling paint and half-open walls. There was a rusty padlock from a time when the contents were worth something. Apple Bloom yanked the lock and latch off its rusty screws. One of the doors fell inward, and she pushed the other out of the way. Scootaloo finally saw what she was on about. Apple Bloom wanted her to put her mechanic skills to the test on an old truck, only slightly less rusted than the padlock.

“Big Mac can’t even make this damn thing run and that was five years ago. But I reckon if you can take the engine apart and put it back without a piece missing, you’re practically set.”

“I’m going to need tools.” Scootaloo was getting that tingling feeling in her spine that told her to meet the challenge. It had gotten her into trouble a few times but she never ignored it. Apple Bloom kicked a black box laying on the ground at the opposite wall to the workbench. The lid popped open. Inside was the most beautiful thing Scootaloo had ever seen. A collection of wrenches, screwdrivers, calipers, pliers-- basically anything with a handle and the intent of ‘work.’ Tools by name but Scootaloo felt compelled to call this set Mary. She stared with sparkling eyes at her figure. “Many try and fail to know happiness.” She hooked Sweetie in one arm and held a wrench in the other. “And here I grasp it in my hands.”

“Why don’t we leave you two alone.” Sweetie said, slipping from her grasp. “We’ll be in the farmhouse if you need us.” Scootaloo barely heard, caressing the wrench and whispering sweet-nothings to the set.

Apple Bloom closed what was left of the door on the happy couple and whispered, as though a solemn occasion. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen her so happy…”

“Should I be jealous?”

“Well, if it doesn’t work out, I’m here for you.” Apple Bloom smiled wryly.

Apple Bloom heard the door slam. She looked passed Sweetie, who was pinning her to the couch with her sleeping body to see that it was one a.m. and the intruder was none other than Scootaloo. Her arms were covered in blotches of grease and several places on her head were smeared with it from wiping the sweat. She had apparently decided to strip down to her sports bra at some point, and part of her torso also had small tracks of oil. Apple Bloom noticed her heart was beating faster. Scootaloo smiled as brightly as Apple Bloom had ever seen. “It is finished.” Apple Bloom lightly tapped on Sweetie’s ear, earning her a knee to her sensitive side.

“Gah! Oh.” Sweetie rubbed her eyes. “Ya did it?”

“Yeah! I can only assume it works.”

“Shit, didn’t think about that.” Apple Bloom sighed. “Applejack would flip if you took apart a working vehicle. Oh well at least you had that experience.”

“Hey Bloom take your shirt off.” Scootaloo commanded.

“What? Oh fine, I’ll humor you since you look like the queen of the universe right now.” No sooner had she removed the garment did Scootaloo wipe her greasy hands all over her waist.
“I was right, grease does turn me on. You look like a billion times sexier.” Scootaloo looked to Sweetie with michiff.
“Don’t you dare.” Sweetie snapped. It was far too early in the morning to even think about getting covered in engine muck.
“We should probably take a shower.” Apple Bloom said.
“I have a better idea.” Scootaloo smirked.
“Fine, let’s go out to the mud pen too. That’s one fantasy we haven’t gotten around to.” She turned to Sweetie. “Want to join us?”
“No.”
“Alright.” Sweetie had already started retreating to Apple Bloom’s much more comfortable bed. They interrupted her mid-sleep and wouldn’t get another word out of her. They quietly shut the door behind them and proceeded to get very, very dirty.